This week on Tech Labs, Aaron Patrick is joined by Charlie Khan (QuickBooks ProAdvisor, Facebook Group) and Simon Williams (Software Advisory Manager, Walton Smith) to unpack the biggest accounting tech stories of the month.

Xero has had one of its roughest weeks in memory — a viral influencer post claiming you can "replace your accountant with Xero and AI" sparked a backlash across the profession, followed swiftly by the rollout of DIY company accounts filing straight to end clients, and then an auto-sent management report pack that went out to clients without warning (Aaron owns up to getting some of the details wrong in his own viral post about it).

Elsewhere: Capium's new pricing structure gets compared favourably against some of the industry's less generous price rises, the QuickBooks mobile app gets a long-overdue overhaul, Apron payments lands natively inside QuickBooks, and Aaron gives a big shout-out to Sage Embedded Services with Tide as one to watch. Plus: should accountants be offering more consultancy services, and a look at new CIS invoicing tools in TaxSolo.

Timestamps below.

Tech Labs airs live on the second Wednesday of every month at 12:30 — join us live to get involved in the chat.

Subscribe for more from Ask the Accountant, and check out The QuickBooks Chap for weekly QuickBooks content.

#AccountingTech #Xero #QuickBooks #MakingTaxDigital #AccountingSoftware #Bookkeeping

In a sudden storm of controversy, Xero has managed to upset its partner community with a series of major blunders. When a paid influencer post suggested replacing accountants with Xero and AI, the industry erupted. This was compounded by the launch of a controversial £120 "micro accounts" filing service and a chaotic rollout of a new 'Analytics Plus' feature, which was enabled by default and sent unauthorised reports to clients.

In this episode, Aaron Patrick and Johann Goree unpack the drama. They argue the intense backlash reveals a deeper insecurity within the profession about the value accountants provide. They discuss the critical importance of opt-in consent, the professional risks of unverified automated reports, and why a strong client relationship is the best defense.

This is a must-listen for any Xero partner trying to make sense of the events and what they mean for the future of the accountant-software provider relationship. Find out what happened, what Xero could have done differently, and what lessons your firm can learn.

• 00:00 - The Xero Analytics Plus Controversy Begins

  The main topic is introduced: Xero has launched a series of new features and campaigns, causing significant backlash in the accounting community.

  • Mentioned: Xero (Analytics Plus)

• 00:19 - Was it Misinformation?

  Aaron questions whether he was guilty of spreading misinformation after his social media post about the feature went viral, based on claims it was from accountants' own email addresses.

  • Mentioned: Aaron Patrick

• 00:46 - Johann's Different Experience & Inconsistent Rollouts

  Johann explains that his experience with the Analytics Plus rollout was different, receiving a clear pop-up, highlighting the inconsistent and confusing nature of the updates.

  • Mentioned: Johann Goree, Xero (Business Snapshot)

• 01:06 - The Problem with Opt-Out by Default

  The hosts agree that the core issue is features being 'opt-out' rather than 'opt-in', which goes against user expectations and best practices like GDPR, and creates liability for accountants.

  • Mentioned: Sift Analytics, Apple

• 02:00 - The Real Problem: Industry Insecurity & The Call for Transparency

  The conversation shifts to the idea that the intense reaction reveals a fundamental insecurity within the profession, but also highlights the need for transparency from Xero.

  • Mentioned: James Ashford, Mark Wickersham, Xero

• 02:27 - Is Xero Going to "Tell Off" Aaron?

  Aaron jokes about getting in trouble with Xero for his critical posts, leading to a discussion on how software companies handle public criticism from partners.

  • Mentioned: Dext (formerly Receipt Bank)

• 03:12 - Dext Wants to Be Friends Again

  A brief tangent reveals that Dext has been in touch to rebuild the relationship after past disagreements.

• 04:02 - Xero's Missed Opportunity with Its Community

  Aaron points out that Xero's greatest asset is its loyal community, and recent marketing moves have alienated them instead of strengthening the relationship.

  • Mentioned: ICB (Institute of Certified Bookkeepers)

• 08:00 - The Week Dominated by Xero

  The hosts formally introduce the main topic: the series of controversies surrounding Xero that have dominated social media.

• 08:52 - Xero's Direct Filing Service & Why The Backlash Is So Big

  The discussion covers Xero's £120 micro-entity accounts filing service, with Johann arguing the backlash is significant due to Xero's large and historically loyal follower base.

• 10:18 - The Three Big Xero Mistakes

  The hosts outline the three core issues: the social media influencer campaign, the new "micro accounts" service, and the broken "auto reporting" feature.

  • Mentioned: Xero, QuickBooks Live

The MTD Watch Series returns for a crucial debrief on the very first live MTD for ITSA pilot quarter. With submissions colliding with summer holidays, how did accountants and their clients actually cope?

This episode is for any accountant or bookkeeper navigating the MTD transition. Join hosts Aaron Patrick, Suzannah Whelan, and Amy Hancock as they share their personal experiences and dive into a new industry survey where over 75% of respondents called MTD a "bad idea." They discuss what's actually working in practice: from segmenting clients (DIY to "shoebox") and setting clean-up fees, to the software workflows that get the job done.

The team also gets tactical on policy, debating whether MTD thresholds should be scrapped and arguing against deadline extensions that could harm real-time benefits. You’ll learn how to pre-empt admin pitfalls, tighten client communications, and structure an “MTD-first” onboarding plan.

Listen now to get a real-world perspective on where the profession stands and what it all means for the future of digital tax.

We're celebrating 200 episodes by looking at the future of AI and security in the accounting profession. Aaron and Johann are joined by special guests Amy Hancock, Tim Wood, and Charlie to break down the biggest tech news, starting with GOV.UK's long-awaited adoption of passkeys and how it can make your client interactions faster and more secure.

They also discuss the surprising new device from Plaud—smart earbuds designed to capture meetings and act as an interface to your entire knowledge base—and explore Claude's new built-in browser and how it stacks up against ChatGPT. Reflecting on the journey to 200 episodes, the team shares insights on consistency, content creation, and what's next for the podcast network, including the return of 'Being an Accountant to Boss'.

This episode is for any accountant looking to stay ahead of the technology curve and learn from the highs and lows of building a successful podcast.

A major milestone is here: our 200th weekly episode is next week. In this episode, Aaron returns from a busy week of system improvements, while Johann shares highlights from hosting visitors at the Edinburgh Fringe and the Royal Military Tattoo. We take stock of our journey—nearly 400 shows across the network and over 1,200 videos on YouTube—and officially invite you, our community, to take part in the celebration.

You’ll learn exactly how to send us a short voice note with your favourite moments, what the show means to you, or a message for the hosts. Submit via WhatsApp, Instagram, or LinkedIn direct messages, and we’ll feature selected clips in our Bank Holiday special. Whether you’ve been with us since the beginning or just found the show, we want your voice in episode 200.

Tune in now for the details and get involved in Ask the Accountant history—send your voice note today.

Frustrated by unresponsive clients and admin bottlenecks? This episode covers real-world client management and practical AI. Learn how to handle "nightmare clients" who delay information, and discover how to use tools like Claude and Lovable to automate the boring stuff, freeing up your team for high-value work.

This episode covers it all: How one firm used intensive, scenario-based training to level up their team, why MTD non-compliance represents a £150M opportunity for accountants, and the critical GDPR mistake you could be making when using AI tools like ChatGPT in your practice.

Our weekly show!

Ask the Accountant main pod

How Q1 gone for our epic adventures?